Goggle valve with limit switch

ABSTRACT

In a goggle type valve having a valve plate movable transversely of the passage through the valve between a fully open and a fully closed position with the valve body having a fixed end section at each end and an intermediate section axially movable into and out of valve plate-clamping position, there is provided a limit switch arrangement to assure proper sequencing of the axial travel of the movable member and the operation of the valve plate from one position to the other, including means for effectively amplifying the slight axial movement of the intermediate section to the desired extent for operation of the limit switches.

United States Patent H 1 3,695,300 Bradel [451 Oct. 3, 1972 4] GOGGLE VALVE WITH LIMIT 3,305,853 2/ 1967 Insolio et a1. ..200/47 X SWITCH 3,480,746 1 1/1969 Fry ..200/47 [72] Inventor: Norman F. Bradel, Scott Township,

Allegheny County, Pa.

Assignee: S. P. Kinney Engineers, Inc., Carnegie, Pa;

Filed: June 1, 1971 Appl. N0.: 148,832

US. Cl. ..l38/94.3, 251/159, 200/47 Int. Cl ..Fl6i 55/00, HOlh 3/16 Field of Search 1 38/943; 25 1/159, 175, 157;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [0/1962 Kinney et al ..251/159 X Primary Examiner-William E. Wayner Attorney-Parmelee, Utzler & Welsh ABSTRACT In a goggle type valve having a valve plate movable transversely of the passage through the valve between a fully open and a fully closed position with the valve body having a fixed end section at each end and an intermediate section axially movable into and out of valve plate-clamping position, there is provided a limit switch arrangement to assure proper sequencing of the axial travel of the movable member and the operation of the valve plate from one position to the other, including means for effectively amplifying the slight axial movement of the intermediate section to the desired extent for operation of the limit switches.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEnums v I972 3.695.300

SHEET 1 BF 3 IN VE/VTOR NORMAN F 'BRAOEL his Aflarneys PATENTEDnm 3 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 3 Fla-K 3 INVENTOI? NORMAN F. BRADEL WV Iris Atforneys GOGGLE VALVE WITH LIMIT SWITCH This invention is primarily designed for use with large valves for industrial use, such as goggle valves, wherein a valve plate or goggle plate moves transversely across the passage through the valve between a fully open and a fully closedposition and the valve body has two relatively fixed end sections between which is an axially movable section, the arrangement being such that when the valve plate is at either limit of its travel, said movable section can be moved in a direction away from a first of the two fixed end members toward the second to clampthe valve plate between the movable and second of the fixed end members. It is then necessary to move the movable section in the opposite direction to unclamp the valve plate and move it completely clear of said plate before initiating the movement of the valve plate to the opposite limit of its travel.

Goggle valves are so called because the valve plate has two equal circular areas each definedby a sealing ring on both faces of the plate and one circular area is solid and the other is completely open, the plate with these two areas suggesting in appearance a giant pair of eye-goggles. When the solid area'is across the valve passage, it blocks the flow of fluid through the valve, and when the open area is across the valve passage, fluid flows freely through the valve. In some valves, as in Kinney, et al. U..S. Pat. No. 3,058,492 granted Oct. 16, 1962, this valve plate'has a reciprocal movement between an open and a closed position, and in other forms, also well known in the art, the plate oscillates in an arc of about 120 between its open and its closed positions.

This invention is applicable to either of these forms or other variations thereof. While US. Pat. No. 3,058,492 shows a goggle valve arranged for manual operation, it is frequently desirable for various reasons to operate such valves by remote control, that is, electrically.

As clearly shown in US. Pat. No. 3,058,492, the valve body is comprised of two relatively fixed end sections and an intermediate axially movable section. The valve plate or goggle plate is movable in a plane transverse to the axis of the body between its open and closed position. When thevalve plate is at either limit of its travel, the axially movable section, which is hermetically sealed to one fixed end section by a bellowslike annulus, is advanced toward the other fixed end section to clamp the valve plate between said movable section and the confronting fixed body section, and before the valve plate can be again operated, the movable body section must be retracted to be completely clear of the transverse plane in which the valve plate moves.

The axial travel of the movable body section between valve plate clamping and valve plate clearing positions is relatively small, being of the order of a fraction of an inch. With hand operation of both the clamping means and the means for shifting the goggle plate between open and closed positions, sequencing the operations presented no problem, but with remote motorized operation, premature motion of one part relative to the other could result in damage to the valve and perhaps a sustained plant shut-down.

It has heretofore been proposed to employ limit switches to assure proper sequencing of the operations of the valve and assure that the fixed and movable parts are fully separated before the valve plate starts to move and prevent the clamping operation being initiated until the movement of the valve plate has been completed, but this has proved unsatisfactory because of the fact that the throw of the limit switch operating arm was too great for the limited relative movement of the valve parts to be properly effective and the extremely close adjustments that had to be made to secure proper functioning of the switches and not be affected by thermal expansion and contraction. Since the axial movement of the movable element or clamping member is often effected by fluie pressure being supplied by a motor-driven pump, it has been proposed to use fluid pressure-responsive switches in place of limit switches to operate as limit switches, but this has certain drawbacks in that abnormal resistance by the movable member by any movement may give a premature build-up of pressure in such switches and thereby give a false indication or signal.

The present invention provides a rigid extension on the movable section of the valve body pivoted to one end of a lever that is fulcrumed on a stationary part of the valve body and so arranged that the free end of the lever swings through an are much wider than the relative axial movement between the fixed and movable sections and which, because of the amplified arc of travel, operate the limit switches to the full limit of their throw and not require excessively close and minutely accurate setting of the limit switches.

The invention may be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an oscillating plate type of goggle valve in which my invention is embodied;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in side elevation showing one switch-operating arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in FIG. 2 with the switch-operating lever in the position it assumes when the valve plate is clamped; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the valve with the closed area of the valve clamped in sealed position, the view being on a larger scale than FIG. 1, and the section being in a radial plane, such as line IV--IV of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout, the valve illustrated, except for the parts hereinafter specifically referred to, is one that is commercially available. The main body at one end of the structure is designated 2 and is sometimes herein referred to as the first fixed body section. It has a fixed large-diameter tubular section 3 fomiing one end of the passage through the valve and there is a bolt flange 4 (see FIG. 4) at the extreme left end of this tube for connecting it to the large diameter pipe or main in which the valve is to be used. Immediately to the right of the flange 4 is one of a pair of axially spaced, fixed triangular plates 5, the other plate of the pair being designated 6.

As viewed in FIG. 4 there is a large diameter tubular section 7 of the same diameter as section 3 and it is in spaced end-to-end relation to 3, but in axial alinement with said section. It is joined to the end of 3 by a resilient ring 8 of U-shape section or other flexible metal ring, sometimes referred to as a bellows or diaphram, one leg of the U-section being welded to the end of tubular section 3 and the other leg to the end of section 7 so that 7 may have a slight axial movement relatively to 3, the flexible metal ring or seal 8 flexing with such endwise movement but preventing the escape of fluid, either gas or liquid, which may be flowing through the valve.

The axially movable tubular body 7 has a flange 9 thereon surrounding it intermediate the ends of said body and there is another annular flange 10 at the right end of the tubular body 7. There is an annular seating ring 11 carried on the flange 10 at the right end of the axially movable tubular body section 7. The tubular section 7 and the parts fixed thereto are sometimes herein referred to as the axially movable body section.

The valve plate, designated generally as 15, is transverse to the longitudinal passage through the valve and is indicated in FIG. 1 as being in the closed position. It has a solid area 16 surrounded on each side of the plate with a seating ring 17. There is another circular seating ring 18 that surrounds an open area 19, area 19 being of the same diameter as solid area 16. These two circular areas with their surrounding seating rings are connected by an arched plate portion 20 that arches over the valve body and there is a counterweight 21 on this arched portion of the plate. This plate is here shown as being hung from a shaft 22 on the fixed body section of the valve to rotate transversely of the longitudinal axis of this valve through an arc of about 120 to swing the open area 19 across the passageway through the valve and displace the closed ring upwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 1. The plate has an arcuate peripheral portion 23 about which a chain or other operating means may be received in a manner well known in the art for moving the valve or goggle plate between its two limits of travel.

At the other side of the valve plate or goggle plate there is a second fixed body section, which is seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, comprising the tubular section 25 of the same diameter as sections 3 and 7, and on which are spaced plates 5' and 6' corresponding to plates 5 and 6 on section 3. Section 25 also has a bolt flange 4 for connecting it to a pipe or main (not shown). The left end of the tubular section 25 confronts the right end of tube section 7 and has an annular seating ring 26 thereon spaced from seating ring 11. The valve plate 15 swings in the space between these two seating rings. Tubular tie bars 27 passing through each corner of the several triangular plates rigidly unite the first and second fixed body sections, and in some goggle valve one of these tie bars may replace the shaft 22 as the pivot about which the goggle plate swings. The arch of the plate 15 herein shown extends above and clears the uppermost tie bar 27.

Referring to FIG. 4 where the goggle plate is at one limit of its travel, assume for example, it is closed so that the solid area 16 is across the passageway through the valve, then its seating rings 17 are clamped between the fixed seating ring 26 of the second fixed body section and the seating ring 11 at the right end of the movable section 7. Clamping pressure is maintained by a plurality of equally-spaced combination ram and spring units 28 effectively disposed around the valve body between the fixed plate 6 of the first fixed section and the movable section. These units have strong springs that urge the movable section of the valve into closed or clamping position while a fluid pressure pump (not shown) supplies fluid, preferably oil, under pressure to the rams to override the springs and move the movable section 7 toward the left. This releases the clamping pressure against the seating rings 11, 17 and 26 so that the goggle plate may be swung by its operating mechanism to bring the open area of the goggle plate into position to be clamped and when the open area of the goggle plate is in position across the valve passage the pressure in the rams will be relieved and the springs will restore the parts to the clamping relation shown in FIG. 1.

The motorized operation of the goggle plate is effected in the usual manner, there being here indicated a motor and gear box unit 30 that drives sprocket wheel 31 to drive the chain 32 in the valve here shown to rock the plate in one direction or the other. Other valves may have a curved rack on the valve plate and a motordriven pinion which oscillates the plate or other drive arrangements are provided. Limit switches at 33 and 34 operated by one or the other of contactors 35 and 36 control the operation of this motor. These limit switches are usual in valves of this type and pose no problem.

The problem to which the present invention relates is concerned with the sequencing of the operation of the valve by means of limit switches responsive to the relatively slight endwise movement of the mid-section 7 between its goggle plate-clamping and releasing positions, without adverse affect from any thermal expansion and contraction to which these valves, commonly used in hot gas lines, maybe subjected, and without requiring impractical tolerances in the positioning of the switches.

To this end there are three axial motion-sensing devices located at equal distances around the valve body, as indicated at 40, 41 and 42 in FIG. 1. For the most part each of these units are or may be the same, except that one of the units, for example the one marked 41, has two limit switches, whereas 40 and 42 may have but one, as hereinafter more fully explained. Each unit has a mounting plate 45 secured to one of the two relatively movable members. Preferably this plate is bolted to the inner face of the triangular plate 6 of the first fixed valve body section, as most clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. By inner face I mean that face which faces toward the goggle plate. There are two spaced parallel slots 46 in the plate 45 to provide for the adjustable positioning of one limit switch 47 thereon, and sometimes or always, as desired, the adjustable positioning of a second limit switch 48 alongside of but spaced from switch 47. In FIG. 3 the unit 41 is illustrated with two limit switches on the plate 45, these being of a well known type. In addition to the plate 45 there is a laterally-extending bracket 49 also mounted on the inner face of the plate 6 which is in substantially the same plane as the plate 45.

Each sensing device also comprises a rigid bracket 50 secured to the flange 9 on the movable section 7. This bracket has a pair of ears 51 thereon extending toward the plate 6 in a position outside the diameter of the flexible annular connector 8 (see FIG. 4). These ears provide a pivotal mounting for a line 52 and its pivot pin 53. The link 52 is in about the same plane as the bracket 49 and extends toward said bracket. There is a lever 54 pivotally mounted between its ends on pivot pin 55 on the bracket 49 with its shorter end pivoted at 56 to the end of link 52. The longer end of this lever in the unit 41 extends between the operating extensions 47' and 48' of the limit switches 47 and 48, but where there is but a single limit switch 47, the longer end of the lever will, of course, contact only arm 47 of the single limit switch 47.

Thus as flange 9 on the axially-movable valve section moves towards or away from plate 6, and along with the relative change in the position of pivot 55 with respect to flange 9 resulting from this movement, and the relative change in the position of bracket 50 with respect to bracket 49, and the difference in the lengths of the lever 54 at one side and the other of its fulcrum or pivot 56, a small increment of axial movement of the movable valve section 7 toward or away from the plane of the goggle plate is effectively multiplied or amplified to discount or counteract any change of relationship due to expansion or contraction of parts of the valve and provide adequate throw of the lever 54 to actuate the arms 47' and 48 of the limit switches. Any need for close micrometer adjustments impractical on mechanisms of this type-and the environments in which they are used are eliminated.

With the leverage and linkage here shown, it will be seen that when the intermediate valve section 7 moves to the left to unclamp the goggle plate, the free end of lever 54 will move to the right to operate limit switch 47. Since it is important that there be no movement of the goggle plate until all parts of the clamping seat are clear of the path of travel of the goggle plate, each one of he three units 40, 41 and 42 has a limit switch 47 and these three are electrically connected in series so that no circuit is closed until each of the three switches 47 is closed, which occurs only when the movable section 7 is entirely clear of the plane in which the valve plate moves. The switches may simply operate a visual signal to inform the operator when it is safe to operate the motor drive 30 for moving the goggle plate, or the circuit may be such that the circuit to motor drive 30 cannot be or is not closed until all three switches 47 are operated to closed position. The circuitry either way presents no unusual problem to one skilled in the art.

The travel of the movable section of the'valve to the clamp-release position is usually initiated manually when it becomes desirable to open or close the goggle valve, and this may be done by operating and keeping in operation a fluid pressure pump that provides fluid pressure to the ram and spring units 28 sufficient to over-ride the force of the springs.

If the limit switches 47 simply operate a signal they will tell the operator when he can operate the goggle plate-moving mechanism 30, and after the goggle plate has been fully moved, one of the limit switches first referred to, 33 or 34, will signal that such movement has been completed, whereupon the operator may automatic controls will use the switch 47 to hold pressure in the rams and spring units 28 until one or the other of switches 33 or 34 is closed, thus assuring that the clamping motion cannot be effected until the goggle plate has fully reached one limit of travel or the other, as the case may be. Since switch 48 may merely signal that the section 7 is in clamping position, a single switch 48 is generally adequate so that only one sensing unit 41 has both switches 47 and 48, although the use of both switches 47 and 48 on more than one or all of the sensing units is not excluded.

The valve here shown and described in detail is but one of several types of valves to which sensing mechanism of this invention utilizing limit switches is applicable to any valve where there is axial movement of a clamping element in combination with a transversely-movable valve plate, and as before indicated, has especial utility with motorized valves remotely controlled.

Iclaim:

1. For use in a valve having a first fixed end section and a second fixed end section and an intermediate section movable axially relative to both end sections, all three sections being axially aligned, and where there is a valve plate movable in a transverse plane between said movable intermediate section and said second fixed section, said movable section having means for effecting movement thereof in a direction to clamp said valve plate between one end of the movable section and the confronting end of said second fixed end section and for retracting it toward said first fixed section to release the valve plate and withdraw the movable intermediate section from the plane of movement of the valve plate, the invention comprising limit switch-actuating means responsive to relative motion between the first fixed end section and the movable intermediate section wherein:

a. there is a limit switch-supporting means with a limit switch thereon fixed on one of said two sections last recited,

b. there is a lever pivotally mounted on one of said two sections last named, the lever having a free end movable in an are into and out of operating engagement with said limit switch,

c. there is a link connecting the other of said two lastmentioned sections with said lever,

d. the distance between the pivotal mounting of the lever and its free end being greater than the distance between the pivotal mounting of said lever and the link whereby limited movement of the movable section relative to the first end section is amplified in the are through which the free end of said lever travels as a resujt of such relative movement.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 in which there is a second limit switch on said limit switch-supporting means spaced from the first and positioned to be operated by the free end of said lever when it swings a predetermined distance in a direction opposite that in which it swings to operate said first-named limit switch.'

3. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the pivotal mounting of the lever is intermediate the ends of the lever and said link is connected to the lever at the other side of the pivotal mounting.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the limit switch-supporting means and the pivotal mounting for the lever are on the same one of said two sections.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 in which both the limit switch-supporting means and the pivotal mounting for the lever are on the said first fixed section and the link is attached to the movable intermediate section.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever, switch and link arrangement therein defined is duplicated at a plurality of arcuately spacedlocations around the valve.

7. The invention as defined i claim 6 in which there is one limit switch on the limit switch-supporting means at each location, which limit switch is arranged to be operated by said lever when the intermediate section is retracted from valve plate clamping position and at least one location there is a second limit switch on the limit switch-supporting means adjacent to but spaced from the first arranged to be operated by said lever when the intermediate section is extended into valve plate-clamping position.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein fluid pressure ram units are provided to effect motion of the intermediate valve section away from valve plate clamping position and there are spring means for resiliently urging said section into valve plate-clamping position. 

1. For use in a valve having a first fixed end section and a second fixed end section and an intermediate section movable axially relative to both end sections, all three sections being axially aligned, and where there is a valve plate movable in a transverse plane between said movable intermediate section and said second fixed section, said movable section having means for effecting movement thereof in a direction to clamp said valve plate between one end of the movable section and the confronting end of said second fixed end section and for retracting it toward said first fixed section to release the valve plate and withdraw the movable intermediate section from the plane of movement of the valve plate, tHe invention comprising limit switch-actuating means responsive to relative motion between the first fixed end section and the movable intermediate section wherein: a. there is a limit switch-supporting means with a limit switch thereon fixed on one of said two sections last recited, b. there is a lever pivotally mounted on one of said two sections last named, the lever having a free end movable in an arc into and out of operating engagement with said limit switch, c. there is a link connecting the other of said two lastmentioned sections with said lever, d. the distance between the pivotal mounting of the lever and its free end being greater than the distance between the pivotal mounting of said lever and the link whereby limited movement of the movable section relative to the first end section is amplified in the arc through which the free end of said lever travels as a resujt of such relative movement.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 in which there is a second limit switch on said limit switch-supporting means spaced from the first and positioned to be operated by the free end of said lever when it swings a predetermined distance in a direction opposite that in which it swings to operate said first-named limit switch.
 3. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the pivotal mounting of the lever is intermediate the ends of the lever and said link is connected to the lever at one side of the pivotal mounting and said free end is at the other side of the pivotal mounting.
 4. The invention defined in claim 1 in which the limit switch-supporting means and the pivotal mounting for the lever are on the same one of said two sections.
 5. The invention defined in claim 1 in which both the limit switch-supporting means and the pivotal mounting for the lever are on the said first fixed section and the link is attached to the movable intermediate section.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the lever, switch and link arrangement therein defined is duplicated at a plurality of arcuately spaced locations around the valve.
 7. The invention as defined i claim 6 in which there is one limit switch on the limit switch-supporting means at each location, which limit switch is arranged to be operated by said lever when the intermediate section is retracted from valve plate clamping position and at least one location there is a second limit switch on the limit switch-supporting means adjacent to but spaced from the first arranged to be operated by said lever when the intermediate section is extended into valve plate-clamping position.
 8. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein fluid pressure ram units are provided to effect motion of the intermediate valve section away from valve plate clamping position and there are spring means for resiliently urging said section into valve plate-clamping position. 